Rio Ferdinand warns Liverpool despite ‘favourites’ tag for Champions League - ‘Trophy isn't handed out at this point’
Published 10/12/2024 at 22:34 GMT
Liverpool have moved to within touching distance of a place in the UEFA Champions League round-of-16, and TNT Sports pundit Rio Ferdinand thinks they are the favourites to lift the trophy come May. Arne Slot's side are the only team in the competition to have won each of their six league phase games. After their 1-0 victory over Girona on Tuesday, Ferdinand says they are the team to beat.
Highlights: Liverpool make it six from six with win in Girona
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TNT Sports pundit Rio Ferdinand believes Liverpool are the favourites to win the UEFA Champions League "right now", but warned that things could change heading into the next round.
The Reds have all but mathematically secured their place in the knockout stages of this season's competition after winning each of their six league phase games.
The most recent of those was a 1-0 victory in Spain against Girona, secured through Mohamed Salah's second-half penalty.
As such, with two rounds of fixtures to go, they have a full complement of 18 points.
Ferdinand says that makes them a team to be feared when the round-of-16 gets underway in the new year.
"Form wise, right now, yes, they have to be the favourites," he told TNT Sports. "But the trophy isn't handed out at this point.
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"The make-up of the squad and the team, physically and mentally, and form-wise and momentum-wise, come March and April, will be very different to what we see now.
"I think you kind of have to be a bit patient. They definitely have all the make-up and the markings of a team that can be successful this season."
Liverpool have won the European Cup on six occasions during their history.
The most recent of those came in 2019, when they beat Tottenham 2-0 in the final.
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'Mr reliable' - Salah gives Liverpool the lead from penalty spot after VAR check
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The Reds have also twice finished as runners-up in recent years, suffering defeats to Real Madrid in 2018 and 2022.
This year, they are the only team in the competition with a 100% winning record.
Former Liverpool midfielder Steve McManaman, who lifted the Champions League trophy during his time at Real, says they have shown they mean business with their results in the competition.
"Going away to Milan, I expected Bologna of course, but Leipzig have always got a decent past," he told TNT Sports.
"To go and play Leverkusen and Madrid and beat them, and beat them easily, that has been surprising.
"I did think Liverpool would qualify out of this group. I had no qualms at all with the talent at their disposal.
"But I didn't expect them to be almost perfect to where they're sitting now, in the league, the Champions League and the League Cup, which will come next week."
TNT Sports will show over 500 matches from the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Conference League across the 2024-25 season. The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination.
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